Whether the Excellence of the Person Sinning Aggravates the Sin?
Objection 1: It would seem that the excellence of the person sinning
does not aggravate the sin. For man becomes great chiefly by cleaving
to God, according to Ecclus. 25:13: "How great is he that findeth
wisdom and knowledge! but there is none above him that feareth the
Lord." Now the more a man cleaves to God, the less is a sin imputed
to him: for it is written (2 Paral. 30: 18, 19): "The Lord Who is
good will show mercy to all them, who with their whole heart seek the
Lord the God of their fathers; and will not impute it to them that
they are not sanctified." Therefore a sin is not aggravated by the
excellence of the person sinning.
Obj. 2: Further, "there is no respect of persons with God" (Rom.
2:11). Therefore He does not punish one man more than another, for
one and the same sin. Therefore a sin is not aggravated by the
excellence of the person sinning.
Obj. 3: Further, no one should reap disadvantage from good. But he
would, if his action were the more blameworthy on account of his
goodness. Therefore a sin is not aggravated by reason of the
excellence of the person sinning.
_On the contrary,_ Isidore says (De Summo Bono ii, 18): "A sin is
deemed so much the more grievous as the sinner is held to be a more
excellent person."
_I answer that,_ Sin is twofold. There is a sin which takes us
unawares on account of the weakness of human nature: and such like
sins are less imputable to one who is more virtuous, because he is
less negligent in checking those sins, which nevertheless human
weakness does not allow us to escape altogether. But there are other
sins which proceed from deliberation: and these sins are all the more
imputed to man according as he is more excellent. Four reasons may be
assigned for this. First, because a more excellent person, e.g. one
who excels in knowledge and virtue, can more easily resist sin; hence
Our Lord said (Luke 12:47) that the "servant who knew the will of his
lord . . . and did it not . . . shall be beaten with many stripes."
Secondly, on account of ingratitude, because every good in which a
man excels, is a gift of God, to Whom man is ungrateful when he sins:
and in this respect any excellence, even in temporal goods,
aggravates a sin, according to Wis. 6:7: "The mighty shall be
mightily tormented." Thirdly, on account of the sinful act being
specially inconsistent with the excellence of the person sinning: for
instance, if a prince were to violate justice, whereas he is set up
as the guardian of justice, or if a priest were to be a fornicator,
whereas he has taken the vow of chastity. Fourthly, on account of the
example or scandal; because, as Gregory says (Pastor. i, 2): "Sin
becomes much more scandalous, when the sinner is honored for his
position": and the sins of the great are much more notorious and men
are wont to bear them with more indignation.
Reply Obj. 1: The passage quoted alludes to those things which are
done negligently when we are taken unawares through human weakness.
Reply Obj. 2: God does not respect persons in punishing the great
more severely, because their excellence conduces to the gravity of
their sin, as stated.
Reply Obj. 3: The man who excels in anything reaps disadvantage, not
from the good which he has, but from his abuse thereof.
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